Decolorizing and color-stabilizing hydrocarbon oil



Patented Feb. s, 1930 VANDERVEER VOORHEES, OF WHITI INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD OIL COM- PANY, OF WHITING, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF- INDIANA DECOLORIZING- AND GOLOR-S'IAIBILIZING HYDROCARBON OIL No Drawing.

This invention relates to decolorizing and color stabilizing hydrocarbon oils and particularly the lower boiling distillate frac tions thereof, such as gasoline.

More specifically, the invention relates to an improvement in the vapor phase treatment of such distill-ates with clay or other adsorbent materials. In practice, it is found that such treatment. gives a limited amount of distillate of good color stability on a basis of clay use I Y The present invention is based uponthe discovery that if the vapor phase clayed distillate is treated with dilute sulfuric acid, that is, sulfuric acid of such dilution that it exerts no discoloringeffect on the oil, and

causes no appreciable sludging action or loss of the oil, the clay can be used to' produce much larger yields of distillate "of satisbelow 70% l -ss20 barrel ield I sso b14601 Y v Untreat- Afidyield xylem ed treated ]nitial-co1or 28 so 30 30 v Color after storage 25 21 21 26 factory color and color stability.

The strength of the acid may suitably be' and may be as dilute as 10%.

Ordinarily, it is preferred to'employ sulfuric acid of a concentration of about 50%."

The invention will be fully understood from the following detailed example,

Rectified vapors from a continuouspressure still are passed at 280 F. and atmospheric pressure through 10 pounds of Olmstead-clay and condensed. Samples of the condensate aretaken at times corresponding to yields of 650, 1460; and 5320 barrels per ton o fclayf One is treated with 50% sulfuric acid in the pro- ,portion of 10 cc. per liter of oil. All the samples are treated with doctor solution. Color measurements (Saybolt) are taken on the fresh oils and again after the oils have been stored for threeand a halfmonths in tightly stoppered bottles in the dark. The color measurements are as follows: i

A final color of 25 or 26 under these conditions is satisfactory but 21 is unsatisfactory.

portion of the last sample Application filed October 31, 1922. Serial No. 280,192.

From these tests it appears that only about 1000.to 1500 barrels of oil of satisfactory color stability are produced by the vapor claying operation and that 3 to 5 times as much oil of satisfactory color and color stability can be produced with the sameamount of clay, when the clayed oil is treated with dilut'e'acid. T

.Wliile it is preferred to use sulfuric acid, other acids may be used.

The acid treatment may be applied to all the clayed oil, if desired. Since,

the first part of the clayed 'oilis of satisfactory color Etability without further, treat ment, it may e collected separately, and the acid treatment may be applied only to the later oil of unsatisfactory color stability.-

Although-the present invention has been described in connection with the details of a specific example thereof, it is not intended that such detailsshall be regarded as limitations u on the scope ofthe invention, except in so ar as included inthe accompanying" claims. a r

I clalmz' 1. The method of decoloriz ing and color stabilizing hydrocarbon oils which consists however,

in passing them in vaporfor'm. through adsol-bent material, condensing the vapors and treating the oil with dilutesulfuric acid of a concentration-below 7 0% 2.- The method of de'colorizing and color stabilizing petroleum distillates which con- 'sists in passing the distillate in the form of vapors through fullers earth,

H condensing the clayed vapors and treating the condensate with dilute sulfuric acid of a concentration below 70%. 1

3. The method of color stabilising petro-' leum distillates which consists in passing the distillate vapors through clay to an extent beyond the maximum yield of oil of satisfactory color stability, and treating such'oil with sulfuric acid of a concentration below 70%. i 4. The method of color stabilizing petroleumdistillates which consists in passing the distillate vapors through clay to an extent beyond'the maximum yield of oil of satisfactory color stability, and treating. such oil with sulfuric acid of a cencentration of about 50%.

5. The method of color stabilizing petroleum distillates which consists in passing the distillate vapors through clay to the'extent-of more than 1500 barrels of oil'per ton of clay and treating such oil with sulfuric acid of a concentration below 70%.

6. The method of color stahilizing petro leum distillates which consists in passing'the distillate vapors through clay to the extent of more than 1500 barrels of oil per t'on'of clay and treating such oil with sulfuric acid of a concentration of about 50%.

' -VANDERVEER VOORHEE S. 

